Transpennine Weekend First

Running Greater Manchester Marathon next weekend. I might have some work to do on the train so it would make sense for me to nab a table with a socket. Quite fancy a first upgrade so I can spread work out a bit.

Thing is, I've got a pair of Advances from Grimsby, split at Sheffield. I'm guessing that I could only upgrade one of those for my fee, right? So if I upgrade from GMB I'll have to return to standard for the Hope Valley, which in my experience, is the busy bit! That said, I do have a reservation in Standard for that...

Or can I even upgrade an STD Advance to Weekend First?

Apart from universal availability of power and a compartment that if I'm unlucky I'll have to share with one other person, is there any other advantage to upgrading on that route?

You should be sold a through upgrade for £6, regardless of the combination of tickets you are on you are ultimately making one journey.

TPE said:

Holders of Standard Class tickets may upgrade to First Class on Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays on payment of a £6.00 single journey supplement to the Conductor between any two train stations on the First TransPennine route network.

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If a trolley appears you may get a free cup of tea/coffee and some biscuits (IF being the operative word as it can be a bit unreliable on TPE).

You should be sold a through upgrade for £6, regardless of the combination of tickets you are on you are ultimately making one journey.

TPE said:

Holders of Standard Class tickets may upgrade to First Class on Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays on payment of a £6.00 single journey supplement to the Conductor between any two train stations on the First TransPennine route network.

Click to expand...

If a trolley appears you may get a free cup of tea/coffee and some biscuits (IF being the operative word as it can be a bit unreliable on TPE).

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I was under the impression only the Scotland routes were booked a trolley at weekend

No trolleys on Sundays except on the Scottish trains, as they're a franchise commitment.

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But even those are a bit hit and miss. Often trains are uncovered, there is only one trolley for 8 coaches and 2 first class compartments, with insufficient water or stock for one set let alone two. There is no way of heating water on 350s, unlike 185s, so once the water is cold or run out, that is it - and if heading towards Scotland that often means there is nothing at all coming back. TPE are well aware of the problems although reportedly most of them are their own making to save money.

I'm still tempted, even without the free tea and biscuits. Would it make any difference that my tickets are Print@Home?

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No. Your tea and biscuits are still make@home if you want any

The only difference with Print@Home is you're saving TPE money and you may be forfeiting any rights to change your travel plans (depending on the company you book with; I have no idea what TPE's policy is)

Once a year I make a trip to the Lakes. Sometimes it's all on TPE, sometimes there's a Virgin leg in there as well.

I'm guessing that I could excess a ticket to Weekend First on departure from Grimsby or Windermere and it would be valid for the whole journey on TPE.

If there was a Virgin leg in the journey, though, what would happen. Here I'm guessing that I could excess on board from Grimsby Town, it would be valid until Piccadilly, then the same excess would also be valid from Oxenholme to Windermere. And I'd be conveyed in standard on the Virgin.

Once a year I make a trip to the Lakes. Sometimes it's all on TPE, sometimes there's a Virgin leg in there as well.

I'm guessing that I could excess a ticket to Weekend First on departure from Grimsby or Windermere and it would be valid for the whole journey on TPE.

If there was a Virgin leg in the journey, though, what would happen. Here I'm guessing that I could excess on board from Grimsby Town, it would be valid until Piccadilly, then the same excess would also be valid from Oxenholme to Windermere. And I'd be conveyed in standard on the Virgin.

Have I understood correctly?

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Mostly yes. Weekend First tickets aren't an excess as such; it's probably more accurate to view them as a supplement.

TPE's WF upgrades will be valid on TPE only, as TPE get all the revenue from each upgrade. Similarly, VT's WF upgrades will only be valid on VT.

I can remember when you could buy Weekend First for the whole of your journey e.g. Norwich to Penzance until the TOC' s decided to quietly put this in "too difficult" box, so much for privatisation innovation !